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A Seattle State of Mind: Eighty Years of Cole & Weber

2011 seemed to have been a year of milestones in the advertising industry, at in our neck of the woods. Back in September we at IHAVEANIDEA celebrated our own tenth anniversary, and throughout the year a number of our agency friends also hit the big one-oh: La Comunidad in Miami and Buenos Aires just turned ten, and both John St. in Toronto and MMB in Boston turned ten earlier in the year.

So when I got a call from Mike Doherty, President of Seattle’s Cole & Weber United — and one of our favourite west coast shops — and he said that they were also celebrating an anniversary of their own, I thought “Cool! Just like us!”

It turns out it would only be “just like us” if this was the year 2081.

Ten Years of IHAVEANIDEA: Toasts and Roasts from Everybody Not Named Ignacio

Back in the fall of 2001, a plucky Costa Rican kid with an unusual name and little more than big dreams started something called “ihaveanidea” in the frigid enclave of Toronto, Canada. His mission was simple: to change the advertising industry for the better.

Who would’ve thought it would last this long and go so far?

VCU Brandcenter’s Recruiter Sessions 2011

ihaveanidea, and by extension you, the loyal reader, has enjoyed a long standing friendship with the VCU Brandcenter, arguably the best school in the world for advertising hopefuls. One of the coolest things about our partnership is that we often get invited to the school for various events. The Brandcenter is so inspiring a place that no matter what the event is, it’s worth the trip down to Richmond, VA. Luckily the events tend to b just as exciting as the school itself.

The Bessies 2011

The Canadian advertising industry has many regional award shows within its vast borders; there are the Lotus Awards for those on the west coast, the Ice Awards for those in the Maritimes, cowboy Calgary hands out Anvils at its Ad Rodeo, and Quebec hosts the Crea Awards chaque année.

But the biggest and boldest award shows in Canada, the national ones are all held in Toronto. I’ve had the opportunity to attend them all over the years, and while each one has its quirks, my personal favorite has always been the Bessies, the show honouring the best in Canadian television (and now online video) advertising.

Training Day: The Sound and the Fury

In the military every fresh-faced recruit must attend Basic Training, a program designed to prepare young people for the rigours (and sometimes horrors) of the front line. For a junior advertising creative that ‘front line’ is often his or her first sound record. That may sound overly dramatic, but ask any ‘junior’ faced with making a decision worth tens of thousands of dollars in client money, often without any prior training or education, and believe me. They can relate.

Jimmy Smith: ANDY Diary 2011

Wus good, y’all? Just finished judging the ANDYS, along with a judging crew that was off the skillet! In the words of the Godfather of Soul, I had a funky good time.

Now, I know no one is going to feel sorry for me and the rest of the judges. After all, the judging took place on the Scrub Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands. HOWEVER, as many of you know, there’s not a whole lot of play. Quite the contrary. In fact, we’re inside all day, looking at ad campaign after ad campaign, all the while knowing that we could be playing in the ocean.

ihaveanidea @ VCU’s Executive Education for CDs, Days Four & Five

The sun was shining bright and the weather was hot — but not too hot — when I stepped out of the hotel to head on over to the Brandcenter this morning. The concierge warned that the weatherman called for thunderstorms this afternoon, but I was in too much of a hurry to grab an umbrella. Besides, how bad can a little rain be?

ihaveanidea @ VCU’s Executive Education for CDs, Day Three

I didn’t really need that 7 AM wake-up call from the hotel front desk this morning; instead I was awakened by the pounding of rain against my window. Yeah, this weather is truly leaving a lot to be desired. Oh well, I’m only a block away from the school, so with umbrella in hand, I headed out for Day Three of the Executive Education course.

ihaveanidea @ VCU’s Executive Education for CDs, Day Two

I’m not sure if I’m relieved or disappointed that Richmond weather has been pretty close to Montreal weather on this trip. Sure, it’s still early in the day — and early in the week, which promises to end as a scorcher — but when your mind is set on bayou-like conditions, 85 degrees seems like a bit of a let-down.

Breakfast is served at the first full day of Digital Leadership and Management Skills for Creative Directors, with plates piled high with bacon, sausage, ham, egg and cheese croissants, fruit salad and yogurt, as well as a staple of the South, iced tea. Nourishment is going to be important today, as Kelly O’Keefe, Managing Director of the VCU Brandcenter says this will be one of the busiest days of the week.

ihaveanidea @ VCU’s Executive Education for CDs, Day One

A long time ago, way back when the VCU Brandcenter was called the Adcenter and was located in a considerably less swanky building than the renowned ad school is found today, I had the great pleasure of travelling down to Richmond one summer to be a fly on the wall for one of VCU’s Executive Education programs.

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